You got out of an unhappy marriage that came with many perks. What was the ultimate deal breaker in that relationship?
Whew! (LOL) looking back, there we’re so many deal breakers but like so many young girls, I was hopeful! Hopeful that marriage would change me, change him and change us as a couple. Marriage was supposed to just somehow magically fix everything that was wrong. In addition, being brought up in a Christian home, divorce was no, no! So there was definitely an internal struggle of going against my beliefs, society’s messages of being married to your Prince Charming and living happily ever after and then there was reality. And ultimately, I lost myself and was on the verge of destruction. But there were two major situations that resulted in my decision to finally leave: 1) I had shrunk into a former shell of myself. I had been reduced to nothing and I didn’t even realize who I was anymore. It was disgustingly heart wrenching to look in the mirror and hate what you have become. 2) I discovered he was cheating again so I asked him about it. Of course he denied it. So then of course I presented him with the evidence. He got so upset that he pushed me into the wall; I hit my head and blacked out. Let me tell you it’s a scary feeling to come to with someone standing over you yelling and cursing at you. But the one thing about all of it is that I never told him that I was going to leave until I had and plan and was absolutely sure I had enough courage and strength to make it on my own and never go back.
What inspired you to write L.I.F.E. Live Inspired! Feel Empowered!?
My story! And the stories of so many other women who believed that they are trapped and that there is no way out of an unhappy and unhealthy relationship. God did not take me on this journey to keep it to myself. I had to go and grow through it so that I could be a resource, a tool to other women so that they would know that they too, could find the strength and courage to leave. I also wrote it for that little girl growing up so that she could know how not to get into an unhealthy relationship and if by chance she did, she’d be able to utilize the tools and activities in Live Inspired Feel Empowered to find her way out. I wrote it for the person that’s lost and looking for a way to find themselves. It’s an olive branch, it’s hope, it’s inspiration for LIFE!
What will women gain from reading L.I.F.E. Live Inspired! Feel Empowered!?
Throughout the pages of Live Inspired Feel Empowered, you can expect to find yourself, your passion and your Purpose! You will laugh, cry, scream and shout praises as you turn the pages of this book. But most importantly, you will find a healing and you will find peace. You will learn to live L.I.F.E.! When you find it difficult to read some of the pages in the book, I encourage you not to give up but to push to your breakthrough. No one ever said that growth was instant or easy because if it were, we would all be where we want to be and who we want to be. It takes time, effort and work! “Faith+Action+Movement =The life you so desire,” (the Empowered Consciousness Paradigm from Live Inspired Feel Empowered.) So be patient and loving with yourself and the process.
Can men also relate to the material within the book?
Oh Absolutely! Contrary to what we’ve been taught, men and women are not that different. We both experience all the same emotions but we just may express them differently because that’s how we’ve been conditioned by society. But are the core of it all, we are all human and we all experience hurt, pain and challenges. So all the tools and activities offered in Live Inspired Feel Empowered are definitely useful to men. In fact, a few men have already read the book and said that it actually really helped them to not only understand some things about themselves but their female partner as well. So perhaps the second edition of Live Inspired Feel Empowered will be gender neutral! J
Happy is something that we’re all reaching for. How have you become one of the happiest women in the world?
(LOL) I have become one of the happiest women in the world because I have learned to Live Inspired and Feel Empowered! I know who I am! I have fully come to love, celebrate, cherish and embrace ALL that I am, without regrets or apologies! I am living my LIFE authentically within my Purpose and Passion. Within that there is an unparallelled level of peace, love, Grace and Mercy that is so profoundly powerful!
What’s next for you?
What’s next for me?! Great question! I will be finishing up my Master of Social Work degree and Doctorate of Education in Human Sexuality in December 2013. And I’m sure somewhere inside of me there are a few books waiting to present themselves to the world! (LOL) I also am in the process of writing a producing a short documentary of Black women and sexuality as part of my Doctorate program, so that should be out soon as well! I’m trying to a movement of empowered women that are going to change this world! At the end of the day, I just want to leave a lasting legacy of empowerment, love, joy, peace and sex positive messages that will transcend time!
Where can we purchase your book and find out more about you?
Live Inspired Feel Empowered is available from the following locations: www.tamararosecampbell.com, www.bn.com, www.amazon.com, Pages Bookstore in Flint, MI and Nubian Bookstore in Southlake Mall, Atlanta, GA. Please continue to check www.tamararosecampbell.com as more locations will be added soon.
Dangerous Lee 